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Business Profile

New Car Dealers

California Motors Direct

This business is NOT BBB Accredited.

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Complaints

Customer Complaints Summary

  • 14 total complaints in the last 3 years.
  • 4 complaints closed in the last 12 months.

If you've experienced an issue

Submit a Complaint

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

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Complaint status

Complaint type

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:04/23/2025

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    March 3rd 2025 $4,120 Financed a car through this company then they werent able to verify my job & the fact I am working full time so I was told someone will come pick up my car and I will receive a check within 24 hours. Next day I called and they werent going to be giving me a check. the guy that picked up the car lied and he was a repo person not a manager in charge as he stated:

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:04/05/2025

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    On January 19, 2025, I wrote a letter to California Motors Direct-Montclair asking them to cancel my Tire and Wheel Warranty and Stargard. They did not contact me or cancel the ******************************* I called The Tire and Wheel Warranty and discovered it was cancelled. I then wrote them another letter In March ******************************************************************************** January asking for cancellation, but they never responded. I have emailed them and called them but I get no response or call back. Finally I wrote to them on April 3, 2025 certified mail with copies of all the previous paperwork I mailed in January and March and once again asking them for the status of my refund and cancellation of Stargard. I have not heard from this dealership or received my refund.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:01/18/2025

    Type:Service or Repair Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I bought a vehicle from their ********* location on August 2, 2024 and left to go out of town for 10 days on August 3, 2024. I came back and immediately asked CA Motors Direct if they could detail my car and do any other necessary work on the vehicle. They detailed it and it came back in worse condition than when I brought it there. I immediately sent pictures upon seeing it in the light and it was horrendous. They ruined the headliner on both the driver and passenger side, and spilled bleach on the seat (at the time I did not know it was bleach), they also dinged my door, and the car looked filthy. I did also ask them on this occasion to find the source of the vehicle shaking, which I told **** (hes a manager but I cant remember his last name) and explained that I thought it was the rear main seal. He suggested they ease into fixing the vehicle. This was an hour drive there, sitting there for 6-8 hours, then a 2 hour drive back home in traffic. I had to go back to the dealership the following week in August and and **** had decided that they would be replacing my front brake pads and rotors as well as detail the vehicle a second time. The outcome was still not good. They no longer wanted to fix the issues on my car and I was pressured into signing this document. He made threats of if you dont sign this, we cant help you anymore with the vehicle. It also states in that document that you HAVE TO leave a positive review and any negative review or speaking about them negatively could lead to lawsuits. I did not sign the document and left. Since then, I have made several attempts to get the vehicle repaired by them with no luck. I took it in for an oil change somewhere else in December of 2024 and they told me I had no brake fluid. I was told upon purchasing the vehicle that the brake fluid was filled. In addition, they put a bolt in my drip pan that was too large due to the thread being stripped and my car was dripping oil very bad.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:06/17/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I purchased the vehicle on April 30th, 2024. I purchased a 2017 *** 430i gran coupe. When I test drove the vehicle the car was good just with a light that the car needed coolant refill nothing major. Then they said they would put more coolant and check it out. So after taking the car home the car continued running out of coolant. I texted them again the car was still spilling coolant. They said okay bring it in and they will take a look at it. After two days of them having the car they said it was only the coolant cap that wasnt original. Which I agreed because supposedly they know what they are doing. So again after a few more days they vehicle again was spilling coolant which I was okay I will take into the mechanic get it inspected and I will fix the two maybe hose that need to be fixed. Turns out the car had oil in the coolant and the car needs a new engine now. Told ************* direct right away about the inspection because now it was $20,000 in fixes and labor. Then turns out the vehicle already had warning light of low oil pressure. Which ************* direct knew about it and erase the codes. They said okay bring it over and they would inspect the vehicle. Now it has been two week going for three weeks with no response. I still dont have a working car as they promised when they sold the vehicle. I will be very aware coming here. Before buying any vehicle from here get it properly inspected by a professional mechanic.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:04/01/2024

    Type:Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I bought a car from these from this dealership in March 12th 2024 which they did not tell me the car had damages before driving 3 hours out. I purchased the vehicle and let them know I would bring it back a week later to have the damages fixed. They promised to fix the car in 4 days. I took it March 19th and left it to get fixed . I called the dealership on the 4th day with no response from the sales rep so I asked to speak to a manager and for them to call me back and no response. I kept called from the 23rd to the 26th of March and no response no one knew what was going on with my vehicle . I couldnt get anoint to give me answers. Finally on the 28th of March 2024 I get a text that my car would be ready on the 29th I drive to *********, ** 3 1/2 hours away from where I live I take time off work and borrow a vehicle to drive to pick up my vehicle that was fixed. I arrive at the location and I am told my vehicle is not ready. Even after I have text messages proving the sales rep said it would be done. He promised to ship my car on Saturday the 30th of March 2024 . It is now April 1st 2024 and they dont respond to my messages or answer my calls I dont have a car to get to work and Im losing money and I cant get any help from this location or manager or anyone

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:03/17/2024

    Type:Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    The problem with my vehicle is its an exhaust valve problem when I went to the dealership they said they would look for my warranty. They never try to contact me after that and then they said they will take a look at my vehicle and after that no contact with them for a while about what could they do with the vehicle as in repair? I spent a very lot of money on this vehicle are I traded in two vehicles one they gave me 4000 and then I had to put down another 1500 and the other one they paid off. The vehicle that Im currently in is a 2018 jeep wrangler and it will need the whole head job done. It did not have that many miles. It only had like ****** when I bought it it currently has ****** I put in $950 in repairs that I thought it was post to be, the spark plugs being changed and the mechanic found out after ****** was done and I take it back. They said its the exhaust valve that went out. I went back to them and they tried to tell me it was a warranty from the dealership from Dodge dodge told me the warranty was out a year ago a little bit after a month when I purchased a vehicle from California motors direct and thats all they did was give me the runaround and never did anything to try to help me resolve this problem. If theres anything you can do, that would be very nice but I found out from my girlfriend that she came across this research a years ago before I even known about it that they had bad vehicles on their lot I would be happy if they can do the repairs on my vehicle and help me have something to drive so I could still go to work. I would like that if not if they could give me the money so I can take it to a dealership and just pay for it with the money to give me to fix the problem because at Dodge they said its like like around $5000-$6000 or more to repair it. Thank you.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:01/26/2024

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I was sold a ***** xc60 on march2023. I drove out the dealership notice a warning in my dash. The key was not the master key. Called immediately and salesperson told me that I had to get the key from a ***** dealership. The key is 900+ dollars and california motors direct has not honor their part of their bargain. The Key that they gave me stop working as its a Valet ******** the car is parked and has not moved for the past few weeks.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:10/30/2023

    Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    the vehicle was a used 2019 Dodge Ram **** with an odometer of ******. My husband made a down payment of $5,000. The dealer did not disclosed that there was no muffler. The next day my husband drove the truck but he was wondering why its too loud whenever he start the truck or even when he drove it. So we decided to have it check and we thought the muffler shop can adjust the sound. the muffler shop inspected the truck and found out that there was no muffler at all and told us that it is illegal to sell any vehicle with the muffler missing. We paid the muffler shop $616.28 to installed all the muffler that was missing.The dealer was informed about this but they made an offer to just pay us $250.00 but we did not settled.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:06/20/2023

    Type:Customer Service Issues
    Status:
    Resolved
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    I was sold a car with no tire security. Tire flew off car while on the freeway and cause front body damage

    Business Response

    Date: 06/27/2023

    Hello!

     

    We are working closely with the customer to get to the bottom of this issue. We will start by towing the vehicle to our selling dealership to assess the complaint and damage. 

     

    Thank you,

    **** *. 

    Customer Answer

    Date: 06/28/2023

    Better Business Bureau:

    I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

    how do I contact W***** because how are they going to tow the vehicle.

  • Initial Complaint

    Date:04/17/2023

    Type:Product Issues
    Status:
    Unanswered
    Resolved:
    The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
    Unresolved:
    The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
    Answered:
    The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
    Unanswered:
    The business failed to respond to the dispute.
    Unpursuable:
    BBB is unable to locate the business.
    On 7/03/21, I purchased a vehicle from ****** Reading at California Motors Direct. I paid $14,000 cash for a 2014 Honda Civic. At the time of the purchase, it was not disclosed to me that I was purchasing a salvage vehicle. It is my understanding that this falls under "Dealer Fraud". All of this time I was under the impression that my car had value. That is until I tried to give it as a trade in vehicle yesterday, when I found out that this car is a salvage vehicle, according to the Carfax! I definitely DID NOT pay a salvage vehicle price for this car. I have reached out to the dealership without any luck! No one has emailed me back nor have they returned my phone calls. I need to get this resolved ASAP! Can someone please help me? I would like to get some of my money back.

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